A very strange place indeed, this Shrine to the Holy Triumvirate is nestled within the icy peaks of the Fe'gan Mountains. You will find the warmth of spirituality here, together with works of great sculptural design based on the Holy Triumvirate religion. (+2 Fame)

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A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 03/24/2016 8:12 PM

Tempest

The wind howled over the frozen peaks of the Fe'gan Mountains, sweeping frozen shards of snow and ice down the rocky slopes. There were no signs of life in this barren place. Nothing dared wander through the mountains in the dead of night, especially through such an intense storm. Well, almost nothing.

A slynx prowled across the snow-packed cliffs that formed the northern pass. A thick layer of snow clung to her, making her almost invisible against the backdrop. If it were not for the density of her fur, she'd have frozen long ago. Not that she noticed much, she was quite used to it all. Though...she was slightly irked by this particular storm's presence. It had been raging for 3 days now, and all of the wildlife in the region was either dead or burrowed away in their little nooks under the snow, leaving this hunter with nothing to eat.
The local populations always had stockrooms for such occasions, so even now they sat nestled by their fires, unafraid of the conditions outside. After all, the mountains were a way of life. Everyone knew what it meant when the air grew still, everyone knew where to hide when the ground began to shake, and everyone knew that even the slightest change in the wind was warning of a storm. The animals were able to sense such things too, and had been long gone by the time the first clouds appeared.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 03/24/2016 8:14 PM

But all of that did not matter for this slynx; there was no way to hide, no way to stockpile, no one to turn to. She was an outcast, forced to fight against the elements on her own, often surviving by a miracle.
More like a curse.
She had picked up rumours on the winds and heard whispers in the valley, talk about her and her apparent twin, whom she had never met. The two were born under the cloud of prophecy, the girl named Krystal with the potential to save them all, and of course, the other sister who would destroy them. Few even spoke her name, it was blasphemy. She kind of liked her name though, the only thing she appreciated from the people she came from.

Tempest, the storm.

And what a storm she was. Even now, belly deep in the snow and half starved, she could feel the tingle in her paws and on the edge of her whiskers. The power at her fingertips, power she often unleashed on the fools who turned her away, who took everything from her. The stupid people of the mountains didn't even realize what they had brought upon themselves.

She paused.

She had to calm down for the moment, using her powers in this barren place would be useless and drain what energy she had left. She would need all the strength she could muster to make it to the end of the pass and hopefully find food. Worst come to worst, she'd have to take it from some village somewhere. Grasping onto her determination, Tempest continued her trek onward.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 03/24/2016 8:16 PM

. : ~ : .

Tempest's eyes blinked open slowly, noting first and foremost that the howling of the wind had ceased, and secondly, that she wasn't quite alone. For a moment, she stared, still as can be, at the massive hunk of fur further inside the cave. She had been half asleep when she'd stumbled upon the cave, and so thankful for a brief respite from the storm, she hadn't even bothered to check for an inhabitant. Whatever it was, she was certain she would win, but wasn't quite in a mood to waste her energy on such a pointless thing. Slowly, she picked herself up and backed slowly towards the entrance. After successfully crawling out of the narrow passage as quietly as she could manage, she blinked in the dull glow of daylight. The sun wasn't out but the storm had moved farther east, taking the worst of the weather with it. A few snowflakes started to fall from what remained, but it wouldn't be long before the sleeping animals began to make their way to the surface.

Settling down a safe distance from the cave, Tempest began to clear the remaining clumps of snow and ice from her fur while she waited for the local wildlife to stir.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 03/28/2016 4:20 PM

It was some time before the first mouse poked through the snow, and Tempest had let it shake itself off before she pounced. The small creature was limp and lifeless before it had a chance to sense the danger. Devouring it almost whole, the slynx stalked off in search of another.

Above, the clouds began to clear, sending dim rays of sunlight down onto the frozen peaks. With caution, she kept to the shadows, all too aware that her dark pelt stood out harshly against the brilliant snow. The colour was a definite advantage in the dark of night, but she cursed the morning sun. She was half-tempted to use her gifts, but knew that it would only send any prey scurrying back to safety.

. : ~ : .


Tempest stood on a high, jagged cliff, looking over one of the many valleys that graced these mountains. The clouds had all but disappeared, but there was no telling when they would reappear and descend upon the poor souls caught in the open. Swift and with little warning, the mountain storms swept the peaks with prejudice, only to disappear almost as quickly as they had come.

She was in the open now, sunlight warm on her back as she shook the last clumps of snow from her fur. Her belly was full and there was nothing in these mountains that would dare challenge her - she had no reason to hide. Her gaze swept the sky and mountainside as she pondered her next move. After some consideration, she turned to the south.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 01/02/2017 3:23 PM

Trudging through the snow, Tempest's mind thought ahead to her destination. The great Basantha Shrine, pride of the region. All paths eventually led to the shrine, and this slynx would have to go to great pains to avoid them. It would be such a nuisance after all - anyone native to these mountains who did not recognize her on sight would be wary of her legend and malicious to all strange slynx. One of these days, they would cower before her might, she swore. To her knowledge, she was already the most powerful being in this region and eventually, she'd make use of that. Her fur tingled at the thought of the day when she would no longer cower in the shadows.

But first, she'd have to find this Krystal. The legend spoke of her twin as some kind of saviour and Tempest needed to know exactly what made her so special. Could the mysterious girl be more powerful than her? Did she have some ability capable of stopping Tempest? It would do her plans no good if this was the case. Therefore, she had to meet her. Carefully, cautiously, she had found her beloved home town and watched over it. She could not get close enough to see it herself, so instead she watched the roads and listened to the whispers on the wind. They truly loved their precious Krystal, and had promised her to the Snow Maidens. That simply could not do. Meticulously, she laid plans that would set her twin at a disadvantage.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 01/02/2017 3:38 PM

Tempest could not describe how she felt the day the Snow Maidens came for Krystal. It was finally time to put her plan in motion, and the mere thought made her fur rise in excitement. After the Maidens had passed on the road into town, the forsaken twin climbed to the highest peak. There, she had been preparing the snow packs and ice shelves. For months, she had reinforced their support and let the snow and ice deposits build. All through the winter and into the spring, she had stopped countless avalanches. The result of course, was a massive, unprecedented buildup of snow and ice. It was an unusual time of year for avalanches anyway, and the village would be woefully unprepared.

She had figured the Maidens would be in town at this point, and gleefully, Tempest unleashed her power. The snow shifted, and within moments, it seemed the entire mountain was falling onto the small village. In fact, the entire range seemed to be collapsing, but Tempest hardly cared. So long as her village was crushed, she didn't care how many others went with it.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


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Jaden Wolf
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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 03/29/2019 1:39 AM

Coming back to the present for a moment, Tempest frowned at the sight below her. A caravan of northern traders was taking up most of the icy road, but had gotten stuck in a particularly large snow drift. Ordinarily, such a sight would have pleased her, but right now they were in her way. The path circled the mountain and doubled back on itself. Just ahead, another path to the shrine would meet it, but there was a village located there so there was no way for Tempest to pass through. Sitting down on a rocky ledge, she considered her options.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


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Jaden Wolf
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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 03/29/2019 1:47 AM

Eventually, Tempest came to the conclusion that using her powers at this point was inevitable. First, however, she needed to sate her hunger, as it would be some time until the prey would come out again.

When she returned from her prowl, the caravan had managed to clear the drift, only to be delayed by another down the path. Crouching in the shadow of the mountain, Tempest closed her eyes and breathed.

It took only moments before the winds shifted, howling into the valley with the fury of a coming storm. The traders were savvy to the mountains, fortunately for them, and recognized the danger. They scurried to secure their goods and take shelter in their wagons. Tempest ignored it all, her thoughts on the mountain air.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


User avatar
Jaden Wolf
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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 03/29/2019 1:51 AM

Sure enough, it didn't take long for the snow to come. The wind howled, blowing frost and snow from the encroaching clouds. With the extra snow being picked up off the mountain caps and snow drifts, the visibility was near zero.

But this is where Tempest thrived. Thanks to those horrible villagers, she'd lived her entire life on the mountains, fending for herself against the elements. To protect herself, she had learned to handle her gifts with great capability. The snow seemed lighter, somehow, in her path as she descended the mountain.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


User avatar
Jaden Wolf
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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 03/29/2019 1:58 AM

It made her fur stand on end, being so close to people like this. Tempest weaved through the caravan wagons, scowling and ready to launch herself at any fool who decided to poke their head out a door or window. Luckily for them, no one did, and she passed them by uneventfully.

The next problem was the village itself. The traders were particularly cautious about weather since neither their goods nor their homes were anchored against the wind. That, and they oftentimes travelled notoriously difficult mountain routes, so they knew better than to challenge nature.

The village, not so much. Most families were hunkered in the warmth of their homes, but many men, for one reason or another, dashed about in the snow. Most for their livelihoods or to ensure safety of other villagers and their stock. They were nestled in the crook of the mountains, and there was no way around them.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


User avatar
Jaden Wolf
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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 03/29/2019 2:01 AM

Cautiously, carefully, Tempest crept up into the shadow of the first home. The winds shifted slightly, practically blowing the nearest ice cap straight into the village. Most folk outdoors wisely dashed for their homes, stumbling blindly through the streets. Tempest watched one actually run into a post before properly aligning himself toward home.

She figured this was a good time as any, and if she was going to avoid being spotted, she'd better go before the winds changed of their own accord.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


User avatar
Jaden Wolf
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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 03/29/2019 2:06 AM

Technically, it wasn't difficult. Tempest could easily move from shadow to shadow through the blinded village. Yet every instinct she had ingrained in herself screamed against being so close to human or humanoid homes. Every bump, rustle or voice behind a window nearly made her jump out of her skin. If this kept up, she'd be a nervous wreck by the time she left the houses behind.

That just made her angry with herself. She was certainly made of tougher stuff than that! Steeling herself behind a barrel, Tempest made a dash for the village outskirts. When she got there, she heard a clang behind her and near about flew into the air. Looking over her shoulder, she saw some man had ran to secure the latch on a coop. It didn't look like he had noticed her, so she just crouched and slunk backward back into the shadow of the mountain.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


User avatar
Jaden Wolf
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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 03/29/2019 2:10 AM

Hidden under a bluff partway up the mountainside, Tempest breathed a sigh of relief. She could feel the tension melt away like the spring caps, not realizing just how anxious that short trek had made her.

Along with her anxiety, the winds died off, granting both the town and traders some relief. Tempest allowed herself a moment to watch the village shake itself out of the snow, people practically coming out of the woodwork. The moment passed, and Tempest slipped away before someone could spot the unusual shape moving on the mountain.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


User avatar
Jaden Wolf
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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 03/29/2019 2:15 AM

At this point, Tempest was walking parallel to one of the large paths leading down the valley to the Shrine. The snow seemed not quite as deep here, though Tempest couldn't fathom why. The path itself was cleared and tamped down by the foot traffic, but it made little sense that the mountainside itself was clear and even.

Not that she had much time to consider it, Tempest was far too preoccupied with the frequent presence of travellers below. Though there weren't many people in these mountains compared to other regions, a central landmark and cultural centre like the Basantha Shrine was bound to have a ridiculous amount of visitors. Therefore, she had her work cut out for her, trying not to catch their attention.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


User avatar
Jaden Wolf
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Re: A Tempest is the Worst Kind of Storm [P]

Postby Jaden Wolf » 03/29/2019 2:21 AM

Eventually, the shrine loomed ahead. Tempest hesitated before remembering the people below. Looking around, she spotted a shallow cave - an alcove, really - and scrambled down into it.

Now she could look at the Shrine without worry. Grimly, she etched every detail into her memory. She couldn't help but wonder if one of those windows she saw was her sister's. The snow maidens were gone now, thanks to her, but Krystal had been raised in their ways as best as the monks could provide. Tempest wondered about that, wondered if her sister had been cared for.

No, she reminded herself, it didn't matter. No matter if they loved her, they cared enough to put a roof over head and food on her plate. She wasn't subjected to the whims of the mountain. Tempest settled herself in, glaring at the Shrine as her mind spun, trying to think about her next steps. It would probably take a while.
You can pretend that when you hear my voice, darling, it's your choice not to fall in.

But it's all an act, 'cause I know exactly what you're wanting. You know it's what I'm wanting

Boy I know what you desire, oh, you're such a bad, bad liar

This could be perfection, or venom dripping in your mouth

Singing like a Siren, love me while your wrists are bound


User avatar
Jaden Wolf
Ultimate Specialist
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Keystones: 319
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Joined: 10/20/2007 1:46 PM
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Status: Squatting among the rich #foreverbroke


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